Commun ty Matters Rolla Presbyterian Manor
March 2018
Winds of change By Allen Teal, chaplain Rolla Presbyterian Manor
March brings changes. Most people are not fans of change. Phrases have emerged to illustrate this. “Change is painful.” “Change will come when the pain of staying the same is worse than the pain of change.” “The only thing that doesn’t change is change.” —Author unknown Everything changes. Some change is almost imperceptible. The moon moves away from the earth at the rate of about 1.5 inches per year. In the 2,000 years since the time of Christ, it has retreated about 250 feet. Someone from that time period probably could not tell the difference. No one minds change that is not noticeable during their lifetime. Change is more acceptable when it involves a choice. As long as change involves personal choice, most people are willing to accept it. Moving is a choice many make. “The average American moves once every 5 years.” In spite of this, CHAPLAIN, continued on page 3
Millie Benne taught herself a number of trick horse-riding moves. She and her husband, a steer roper, participated in rodeos for many years.
Not just horsing around Resident Millie Benne wowed rodeo crowds with tricks on horseback Millie Benne was a horsewoman from a young age. She taught herself to be a trick rider and performed in rodeos throughout Missouri for several years. She didn’t have any formal training, but she did have a strong bond with her horse, a yellow fellow named Rex. “I loved my horse and he loved me, he would nicker when I would come,” said Millie, a Rolla Presbyterian Manor resident. “I started doing different things on him that I wanted to do, and he was OK with it.” Millie could stand in the stirrups and ride around the arena with her hands in the air. She could stand on one foot with the other in the air. HORSE, continued on page 2
Art is Ageless® exhibit and reception this month Since the beginning of time, creative expression has brought joy to both its creators and those who experience their art. The Art is Ageless® program offers senior artists the opportunity to share and display their artwork and reaffirms the agelessness of human creativity. This month, their works are on display at Rolla Presbyterian Manor. “It’s inspiring to see the beautiful pieces these seniors have created,” said Joelle Freeland, marketing
director for Rolla Presbyterian Manor. “The joy it brings to them and others is wonderful, and that’s something we want to celebrate and share with the entire Rolla community.” The Art is Ageless exhibit will feature works from local artists who are 65 and older, including a few Presbyterian Manor residents. The public is welcome to visit the community to view the exhibit of acrylics, oils, photography and various other mediums, ranging from amateur to professional levels.
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Community Matters
is published monthly for residents and friends of Rolla Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org Ann Caudill, executive director Joelle Freeland, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Joelle Freeland at lfreeland@pmma.org. Telephone: 573-364-7336 Fax: 573-364-7336 Address: 1200 Homelife Plaza, Rolla, MO 65401-2595 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values. RollaPresbyterianManor.org
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Community Matters March 2018
Amazingly, she never got hurt. In addition to performing her tricks, she also competed in barrel racing on the rodeo circuit on a different horse. One of her fondest memories, however, was when she was asked to substitute for the flag bearer in the opening ceremony for one rodeo. “The lady that usually carried the flag around the arena wasn’t able to come, so they asked me because they had seen me ride,” Millie said. “I felt very honored because everybody stands up and claps as you go around. I was very proud they had asked me to do it.” One day Millie met a fellow horse lover named Al Benne, who came from a ranching family in the St. Louis area. “I fell in love with him
The exhibit is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 19 to 22. In addition to the exhibit, Rolla Presbyterian Manor will honor local senior artists during a reception at the community at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 22.
because he loved horses. I think the first date he took me to was a horse show. He said, ‘Do you like horses?’ And I said ‘I sure do.’” Al was a rodeo steer roper — the kind who ride up next to a longhorn steer and jump down to rope it. He won a lot and never got hurt either, Millie said. He also bought Millie her first trick riding saddle. Millie and Al didn’t have a big wedding — they just went to the preacher. When they weren’t wowing the crowds at rodeos, the couple worked their 200-acre cattle ranch near St. Louis. They owned the ranch until Al fell ill. He died in 2013 at age 94. Trick riders are few and far between these days, but Millie is happy she got to do what she loved for many years and entertain others alongside the man she loved. Like us on Facebook
CHAPLAIN, continued from page 1
people will say that they hate to move. When benefits or necessity drive the change, it will be readily accepted most of the time. The Apostle Paul recognized that growing older nudges us to change. All children like to be held by their parents. At some point in your life, you were picked up and held. And there was the final time that when you were returned to the floor, you were never picked up again. It’s unlikely that you remember the event although it signaled a huge change in your life. As we grow
up, childhood is slowly left behind. Adulthood is entered. Education, experience, and training change us in ways that will never be reversed. Change is hardest when it comes rapidly and unexpectedly.
Like it or not, change will come. Learning to be accepting of most changes can add a great deal of contentment to our life. “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11b, NIV).
Most changes are positive. The way change comes is the problem. A top-down organizational change may be tough to take. Our vote wasn’t considered or requested. Our reaction is usually a bigger problem than the change. We do not have to endorse every change. It is important that we do not invite unhappiness into our life by quickly and negatively judging changes before we understand them.
Rolla Presbyterian Manor’s Post-Acute To Home (PATH®) program isn’t just about getting you home— it’s about getting you back to your life. Call 573-364-7336 today to schedule your personal appointment and tour. RollaPresbyterianManor.org Like us on Facebook
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Rolla Presbyterian Manor 1200 Homelife Plaza Rolla, MO 65401-2595 Return Service Requested
Tell us your story We will be celebrating Older American’s Month and National Nursing Home Week in an upcoming issue of Community Matters. The Older Americans Month theme is “Engage at Every Age.” If you have ways that you are intentionally staying engaged in activities you’ve always loved, using technology or if you just want to tell the world what you love about living in your senior living community, we want to share the story. Contact Joelle Freeland, marketing director, and your story could be featured in an upcoming edition of Community Matters.
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Community Matters March 2018
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